The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-09-19
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
A HUNDRED YEARS UNDER THE coNsTI-

HUNDRED YEARS UNDER THE coNsTI-
TUITION.
AT the Congress Square Church yesterday
morning, the pastor, Rev. Henry Blanchard,
preached a sermon on "A Hundred Years
Unde: he Constitution" taking as his text
the wC.ds "The Lord our God be with us as
He was with our fathers" from 9th verse Of
the viii chapter of the first book Of Kings.
The speaker began by referring to the GEN.
tennial celebration at Philadelphia last week
1t was his pleasant dntv to use the Sunday
in continuance Of that celebration. He
would have his hearers imagine themselves
in the old State House and in the rooms
where the Declaration Of Independence had
been signed and where on Monday, Septem-
Der 18th, 1887, the constitution as we now
have it without its amendments was brought
to receive the signatures of the delegates.
He described the proceedings Of the four
months secret sessions as they were revealed
by Madison's papers after his DEATH He
spoke of the two parties in the convention
the one wanting a strong central govern
ment-the other demanding weak central
government so that the separate States might
not lose power. He described the closing
scenes when the venerable Benjamin Frank
lin arose to speak and Washington pleaded
for unanimity and signatures.
Mr.. Blanchard then proceeded to give an
hundred years. He spoke of the debates in
Congress for the establishment of the
fnances-0f the war with England in 1872
OF the formation of new States-of,the grad
ual rise OF the slave power-of the awful
war Of the rebellion-of the days Of recon-
strnction. He dwelt on the increase of popu-
lation-the purchase of Louisiana-the dis
covery Of mineral wealth-of the great in
venti0ns of the country-of the founding of
educational institutions-of country free
from North to South, from East to West.
In all this progress of hundred years the
constitution was mighty agent. He plead
ed, therefore, for revenue for the trainers
because Of their wisdom-for thankfulness
to God that He had given this wisdom and
had been the guide of the successors to these
great mentor noble thought and feeling
which should belong to patriotic American
citizenship. Under each of these heads, the
speaker dwelt on many Illustrations. These
constitution makers had not 'struck OUT
this great instrument of government, as
Gladstone had said, but had sslowly toiled to
make 1t strong and great. In the provisions
for the House of Representatives, to repre-
sent the people; in the Senate, to represent
the States and ito check the House; in the
power giveH to the Chief Magistrate in the
establishment Of the Supreme Court which
should decide all question of conformity
OF law to the constitution; and in power Of
adding amendments-thesem men showed their
wise statemanship--a craftsmanship which
has won the admiration Of the greatest
thinkers of the world. We may well thank
God, therefore, for His help in the making
OF this constitution and in His leadership
through the hundred years. The word
God" may not be in the constitution. but
He is there. Its trainers were believers in
God. They believedstheir instrument of
government would largely help to develope
great nation. The separation of church and
state, secured by the first amendment. is also
largely the work of God, and the power
victory came from Him. The wisdom of
Lincoln and the valor of Grant came also
largely from:the Almighty. We are then to
think nobly and feel nobly about our country
We are to think that America is to be the
instrument of God for the uplifting all ma
height and breadth and depth Of that great
thought Then would they clearly see what
they should do for the maintenance OF the
worship Of God and for the continuance OF
our system Of public education; then would
they demand of all who came to our shores
to share our blessings and use the ballot that
they become Americans, entering into our
heritage, revering our constitution, working
for the good of all.
The sermon ended with a description of
the night before the fourth Of March, 1889,
when the constitution went into effect and
an earnest appeal that the men Of to-day
dream not of greater future but do so
nobly in the present that that future shall
surely come Then will they pray the prayer
-"The Lord our God be with us as He was
with our fathers. And unto Him, the Lord
of Lords and King of Kings, the Ruler of
Nations, our God and Father, give we all the
praise and ascribe we all power forever and
forever. Amen"